Chapter 35
Find Her
I step through to the temple on the holy land of the pack grounds and look around. Here, we can speak freely. I don’t trust that this is still true of the clubhouse.
No one is here that I haven’t called here. This situation will not go unanswered. I’ve called this meeting with the best trackers I know outside of my brothers and those in the brotherhood who we use to track for club business. Since they are busy with the hunters, I’m going to allow those I trust most to help me with finding that bitch so I can end her existence.
No one goes after Taylor and lives to tell about it. If it were up to me, she would have been put down the first time. Kendrick and I aren’t done having words about this shit either.
If he weren’t my brother, things would have gone a lot differently. However, out of respect, I’ve let that shit pass—for now.
“What do you need from us?” Ace asks first.
Over the years, I’ve noticed the brothers usually speak in order, sometimes finishing the other’s thoughts. I’m not surprised Ace is the first to speak. I’m counting on Dom to be next.
“I need your best trackers to hunt down Seraphina. I will provide them with a direct link to me and some magic to teleport if needed. I need them to find the bitch and hand her over to me. I will be on the ground as well. Violet and Lola will be with me. They were the last to catch her scent,” I reply.
“That’s fine with us. A full moon is coming. Unfortunately, the three of us will have to sit this out until then,” Dom says.
Full moons have been problematic for the triplets since they turned eighteen. A full moon shouldn’t be as painful as it is for them. However, it’s another part of the curse their father has chosen to hide from them.
“I’m aware of this. I would not ask you to participate in the search until then.”
“What about Taylor? Where will she be during the search? We can’t ignore the fact that she’s a target. Seraphina could circle back for her,” Nik says.
I snarl and bare my teeth. I’m well aware of this fact. Although, I don’t plan to leave my mate unguarded.
I’ve thought this through before coming here. While I think Taylor would be safe at the clubhouse, today has shown me there are kinks in our system somewhere. Her place is with me, but I have my head in a million places. Backup might not be a bad idea.
“I want to see the wolves of the she-wolves in her court. Something is different about Lola’s and Violet’s wolves. I would like to see if it’s a result of their new position as Taylor’s guards and servants.”
“I told you,” Nik calls out, looking between his brothers. “Those bitches have become as big as alpha wolves. I saw Tala and Nika on a run. I almost mistook them for two rogues. Hell, even rogues aren’t that big.”
“Yes, this is what I’ve noticed. I was taken by surprise at first. I’ve seen their wolves before and they weren’t that large,” I say and nod.
I was taken aback when seeing Violet and Lola in wolf form back at the clubhouse. I didn’t have much time to assess the situation as I had to focus on my mate and her would-be attacker. I grin at the reminder of Taylor kicking Seraphina’s ass.
“The entire pack has seemed healthier since Taylor’s visit. Almost like she’s the fire wolf herself,” Dom muses, breaking into my thoughts.
“Not a fire wolf. She has the spirit of one,” I say with a smile. “She will be with me. I don’t believe she would like it if I tried to leave her behind.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, Nika and Arcadia can accompany us as well; they are skilled warriors. As are Lola and Violet. That should be enough. My mate is lethal in her own right.”
“What do you want us to do about the mob boss?” Ace asks.
“Who? Ricci? What about him?”
“He’s been trying to get our wolves to come work for him. They know you’ve pulled us from transporting for him, but he’s been trying to circumvent our orders.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I seethe.
“Ignore him. Tell your packs to do the same. We no longer have any affiliation with him or the Ricci family.”
“We will pass down the order,” Dom says.
“Make it an alpha order. If anyone assists him or his brother, there will be repercussions.”
“Got it,” they say in unison.
“What about the stone?” Ace asks.
“Leave that to me. I will be tracking it as I hunt down that bitch. I’m not blaming you for its loss, so get that out of your head, brother. You have not failed me.
“I watched you try to protect it. There was magic more powerful than you at play that night. I will reclaim my stone.”
“I wish I had done more. If I had access to my lycan, I could have done more,” Ace says tightly with a scowl on his face.
“Trust me. You would not have.”
“Do you need anything else of us?” Dom asks.
“No, I will see you all after the full moon. Thank you.”
I turn and head back through time and space to get to my mate I left sleeping in our bed. In the morning, we leave to go hunting. I always find my prey.
Taylor
I wake and stretch in the bed lazily. Right away, I feel that Bradan isn’t here. I lift to my elbows and look around the room. That’s when he appearing as if stepping out of thin air. Right away, everything comes back to me.
Seraphina trying to corner me, me transforming into a flame, Bradan going to attack Kendrick, Bradan wanting to make love to me, but us ending up fucking for hours. I sit up some more and brush my hair out of my face. The sheet falls into my lap, exposing my upper body.
Bradan grins as his clothes vanish and he moves to the foot of the bed, climbing up toward me. I’m momentarily distracted from my thoughts. I snap out of it when he goes to take my lips.
“Bray, wait, I have questions.”
“Those can wait,” he rumbles.
“No, they can’t. Do you think she’s responsible for your missing stone? I mean, how did she get out? We weren’t paying much attention to her while she was locked away, maybe she’s been plotting and was able to escape before without notice.”
He rolls onto his back and releases a heavy breath. “She doesn’t know about my stone. I’ve never given her that type of information. The stones are a myth among the others.
“Mostly ancient beings have knowledge of them. No one other than those we’ve trusted to guard them can verify they exist or where they are hidden. Besides, Seraphina tends to be singularly focused when she’s angry.
“Her anger is toward you and I. She wouldn’t have been able to resist coming after you like she did if she had been released prior to this. I’m sure the first thing she did when she was let out of that cell was come looking for you. It’s in her nature,” he replies.
“So what are we going to do? How do we find her?”
“We go hunting. She’ll fuck up sooner or later and I’ll find her. One thing I can count on, she’s not done trying to get to you, so she’s not going to go far.
“After the ass whipping you gave her, she’ll need to heal before she comes trying. If she can’t find a healer, that will stretch out the timeline on how soon that will happen. Hopefully that will slow her down and make it easier to track her,” he says.
I climb from under the sheet and move to straddle his waist. He places his palms on my hips. I lift my head and look down into his eyes. Drawing on all my confidence, I say.
“I’m coming with you. I want to help.”
“I knew you would say that. I didn’t plan on leaving you out. I’ll make you a deal, little one.”
“What’s that?”
He lifts until we’re nose to nose. “No one is going to keep me from watching you walk that stage, and this bullshit doesn’t get in the way of you getting to do that. You feel me?”
“I feel you. I only have a few more classes left, and I’m nearly done with my clinical hours. I can make it all work. Let’s go hunting.”
He captures my lips in a searing kiss. I smile into it when he releases his true breath and smoke begins to pour from my nose. I cup his face and pull back to look at him.
“That was kind of vanilla earlier. Should we go at it again and spice things up?”
He releases a deep rumble of laughter that warms my heart. I’m happy to see him like this. I can feel how much tension is running through him from the situation.
Swiftly, he flips me onto my back and our next round of hot sex begins. This time, he breaks out the kink and I’m here for it. My fiery man sets the sheets on fire, literally.